Car-door mechanism



W. F. CREMEAN GAR DOOR MECHANISM I March 10, 1925.

2 sneets sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1924 afi m 3 FELL a, Jl

March 10, 1925.

W. F. CREMEAN CAR DOOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14 1924 Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. CREME-AN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

CAR-DOOR MECHANISM.

Application filed April 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. CREMEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Door Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car door mechanism for retaining in closed position a hinged door which is adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity to permit the lading of the car to be discharged. The principal object of the invention is to provide, in conjunction with suitable door mechanism, strong, simple and efficient means for forcing the door to its position of final closure.

A principal feature of the invent-ion consists in providing, in combination with a hinged door and pivoted means for supporting the latter in partly closed position and also in fully closed position, means rigidly connected to the car body affording a fulcrum for a removable lever adapted to cooperate with a door to force the latter from partly closed position to fully closed position, the fulcrum means being spaced from the car body and overlapping the outer face of the said pivoted means.

Another feature of the invention resides in the combination of a hinged door provided with an arm extending'outwardly beyond the side of the car body, a pivotally mounted hook adapted to engage said arm to support the door in closed position, and a cover plate member secured to the car body and overlying the outer face of the hook, the cover plate having an opening adapted to receive a removable lever for forcing the door from partly closed to fully closed position, and the said opening being positioned so that the removable lever may be brought into engagement with the said arm carried by the door.

A more specific feature of the invention consists in the combination with a hinged door having an arm extending outwardly 1 beyond the side of the car body, of a pivotally mounted hook provided with a plurality of ledges adapted to engage said arm to sustain the door against an opening movement, and a cover plate member secured to 1924. Serial No. 706,363.

the car body and overlying the outer face of the hook, said cover plate being formed with a perforated lug projecting outwardly from the plane of operation of the hook and adapted to form a fulcrum for a removable lever cooperating with said arm to raise the door from a position in which it is supported on one of the ledges of the hook to a position in which it is supported on the other of said ledges, the said arm being provided {Vltll an opening adapted to receive the said ever. Other features of the invention, residing in particular details of construction an combination of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of one of the hoppers of a railway car of a well known type, showing mechanism involving the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a sectional View in the plane direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is aside elevational view corresponding to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in end elevation illustrating the construction shown in Fig. 4:.

The cars illustrated in the drawings are of the well known type embodying hoppers having sloping side walls, but it is to be understood that the invention claimed is not limited to cars of the particular forms.

shown. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 indicates the side wall or sheet of a car hopper, and 2 is a hinged door for closing the hopper discharge opening in the usual manner. The door may be hinged to the car body, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so that it is adaptedto swing to open position under the influence of gravity. Secured to the outer face of the door is a stiffening member or door spreader 3 which may advantageously be in the form of a channel iron whose flanges project downwardly. The door spreader extends transversely of the car and is rigidly connected to the sections of the door on opposite sides of the car center sills so as to cause said door sections to operate as a single unit. Al-

of lines 33, Figs. 1 and 2, looking in the though a portion of the door at one side only of the car is illustrated, it will be understood that the door construction on the opposite side of the car is identical; and while only one set of devices for effecting the closing and the support of the .door is shown, it will of course be appreciated that similar mechanism is applied to the opposite side of the hopper so as to sustain the door at that point.

Pivotally mounted upon the side sheet 1 of the car body is a door locking member which preferably is in the form of a hook 4 having a plurality of ledges 5 and 6. respec tively. The locking hook at is pivotally mounted upon a post or rivet 7 so as to swing by gravity to locked position. lVhen the side sheet 1 the hoppe is provided along the edge of the hopper discharge opening with a flanged or offset portion, as indicated at 8 the pivoted hook may be spaced from the side sheet 1 suiiiciently to clear said flange by inter-posing a bracket 9 between the hook and the side sheet. The spacing member 9 may be provided with hollow posts or thimbles 10 for the reception of the rivets 7. 11 and 12 passing through the side sheet of the hopper.

Overlapping the outer face of the hook 1 is a cover plate member 13 secured to the car hody by means of the rivets T. 11 and 12. The hook l. which preferably is in a plane parallel to the inclined hopper sheet 1. opcrates in the space between the spacing plate t) and the cover plate Operating also between these members and pivotally mounted upon the rivet 11 is a. locking eam or dog 14: of well known form which, when in the position shown in the several views. engages the back of the hook t so as to prevent the latter from accidentally moving to a position permitting the door to be released.

The cover plate 13, which is adapted to support the hook 4: against lateral thrusts, is provided with a portion 15 forming a fulcrum for a removable lever which the trainman may employ to enable him to force the door 2 from a partly closed position to a fully closed position. The fulcrum forming portion of the cover plate is preferably iii the form of an out *ardly projecting lug extending a i an angle to the plane of operation of the hook 4 and having an opening 16 into which the removable lever may be inserted so as to extend downwardly and engage the arm 17 with which the car door is equipped for cooperatingivith the hook member a. if'he position of this removable lever 18. when it is used for forcing the door to closed position. is as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. To stiffen the cover plate member 13 and to strengthen the fulcrum lug thereof a tapered reinforcing rib .or flange 19 may advantageously extend from the outermost portion of the lug toward the pivot 7 of the hook in the general line of strain imparted to the cover plate when the removable door prying lever is operated.

The door 2 is provided at each side of the car with a locking arm 17 extending outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car body. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 this door arm 17 is formed as a casting provided avith angularly disposed flanges 20 and 21. the former being connected to the door 2 by means .of rivets and the latter being secured to the door stiffener or door spreader 3 by means of rivets The castin forming the door arm 17 may be )rovided with suitable stiffening flanges or assets 2! connecting the angularl'v disposed tlanges 20 and 21 and preferably is provided with an end flange or gusset adapted to stand in overlapping relation to the end of the hook when the latter is in locked relation to the door arm 17. Near its outer end the flange 21 of the arm 17 is preferably formed with an opening or recess 26 for reeeiving the lower end of the removable door prying lever. i l hen the flange 20 of the door arm seated upon the ledge of the pivoted hook the door arm is maintained in fully ('lUSQ'Cl position. but when the said llange is supported upon the auxiliary ledge 6 of the hook t the door 2 is supported in a partially closed position as will be readily understood.

is is well known. it is often very diflicult to etl ect a complete closure of the swinging doors of hopper cars. This is due to the tact that the doors become .varped or distorted because of the service to which they are subjected, and moreover. small pieces of lading sometim s lodge in positions making the complete closing of the. doors a matter of considerable ditliculty. it is. however. an easy u'iatter in all cases to swing the door to a partially closed position such as it would occupy when supported upon the auxiliary ledge 6 ot the pivoted hook. ltlechanism constructed in accordance with the invention provides means for effectively applying to the doors the increased power necessary to force them from the position of partial closure to the fully closed position. The trainman. after having swung the door to a po sition in which it is temporarily supported upon the ledge 6 of the hook. merely inserts a lover or pry bar through the opening 16 of the cover plate member 13. passing it downwardly until its lower end 0 sends into or through the corresponding opening 26 of the door arm 17. By applying force to the upper end of the lever the door may then be readily moved to closed position permitting the ledge 5 f the hook to come into support ing engagement with the hook seat or flange 20 of the door. arm. ll hen the hook is thus in locking engagement with the door arm 17 the locking cam 14 is rotated so as to engage the hook, thereby preventing accidental release of the latter. It will be perceived the construction is such that the parts of the mechanism are very simple and rugged and that the trainman may stand in a position ment is formed as a part of the door stiff ener or door spreader 27 instead of being fashioned as a separate member or casting 1.7. In this form of the invention the lower end of the removable lever 18 is adapted to engage the flange 28 of the door spreader which is secured to the door 29, thedoor spreader being shown as a bulb angle. The hook 4:, cover plate 13, and locking dog or cam 14 in this form of construction are preferably identically the same as the co-rresponding parts heretofore described, and accordingly corresponding reference characters have been applied thereto.

I claim 1. In car door'mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity, of means for supporting said door in partly closed position, means for supporting said door in closed position, said last named means including a member pivotally mounted on the car body, and means rigidly connected to the car body affording a fulcrum for a removable lever adapted to cooperate with said door to force the latter from partly closed position to fully closed position, said fulcrum means being spaced from the car body and overlapping the outer face of said pivotally mounted member.

2. In car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity, of a hook device pivotally mounted upon the car body and adapted to cooperate with said door to support the latter in closed position and in partly closed position, and a cover member for said hook device secured to the car body and overlapping the outer face of said hook device, said cover member being provided with a portion forming a fulcrum for a removable lever adapted to cooperate with said door to force the latter from partly closed position to fully closed position.

3. In car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity, of a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and adapted to cooperate with said door to support the latter in closed position,

and a cover plate member secured to the car body and overlying the outer face ofsaid hook, said cover plate being provided with a portion adapted to form a fulcrum for a lever whereby said door may be forced from partly closed position to fully closed position.

4. In car door mechanism, the oombination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity, of a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and adapted to cooperate with said door to support the latter in closed position, and a cover plate member secured to the car body and overlying the outer face of said hook, said cover plate member being provided with an outwardly projecting lug extending at an angle to the plane of operation of said hook, and said lug being adapted to form a fulcrum for a removable lever cooperating with said door to force the latter from partly closed position to fully closed position.

5. In car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity and provided with an arm extending outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car body, of a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and adapted to engage said arm to support the door in closed position, and a cover plate member securedto the car body and overlying the outer face of said hook, said cover plate member being formed with an opening adapted to receive a removable lever for forcing the door from partly closed to fully closed position, said opening being so disposed that said lever may be caused to engage said arm.

6. In car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity and provided with an arm extending outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car body, of a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and adapted to engage said arm to support the door in closed position, and a cover plate member secured to the car body and overlying the outer face of said hook, said cover plate member being formed with a perforated lug extending over said arm and adapted to form a fulcrum for a removable door-prying lever, and said arm being provided with an opening adapted to receive a door-prying lever extending through said perforated lug.

7. In car door mechanism, the comb-ination with a hinged door adapted to swing to open position under the influence of gravity and provided with an arm extending outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car body, of a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and provided with a plurality of ledges adapted to engage said arm to sustain said door against an opening movement,

and a cover plate member secured to the car body and overlying the outer face of said hook, said cover plate member being provided with a lug projecting outwardly from the plane of operation of said hook adapted to form a fulcrum for a removable lever cooperating with said arm to raise said door from a position in which it is supported on one of the ledges vof said hook toa position in which it is supported on the other of said ledges.

8. In car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door adapted ,to swing to open position under the influence of gravity and provided with an arm extending outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car body, of a hook pivotally mounted on {the car body and adapted to engage said arm to support the door in closed position, and a cover plate member secured to the ca -r body and overlying the outer face of said hook, said cover plate member being provided with a portion adapted to form a fulcrum for a removable lever whereby said door may be forced from partly closed position to fully closed position, said fulcrum being arranged to permit the removable lever to engage said arm outwardly of said hook.

9. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door. of means for cooperating with a removable lever adapted to force the door to closed position, said means involving a member carried by said door forming a seat for said lever, and a member carried by the car body forming a fulcrum for (said lever, said fulcrum member b ng d sposed a ve s id s a mem so as to permit said removable leverwhen in operative position to extend upwardly in an outwardly inclined direction, and means movable with respect .to said fulcrum for supporting said door in closed position.

In car d orms a1 sm, t 'e bi tion with a hinged door, of means for cooperating with a removable leveradapted to force the door to closed position, said means involving .a member carried by the car body forming a. fulcrum for Said lever, and member carried by said door forming a seat for said lever, said seat being below said fulcrum, and said lever when in engagement with said fulcrum and'seat being adapted to have a plane of operation less inclined to the vertical than to the horizontal, and meansfor supporting said door in closed position. i

'11. car door mechanism, the combina- .tion with a hinged door, .of inovablenieans ,operatively interposed between said door and the car body for supporting said door in closed position, and a fulcrum member carried by the car body projecting laterally beyond said door supporting means, said fulcrum member being adapted to cooperate with a removable lever adapted to apply force to said door at a point laterally outward of the door supporting means, whereby said door may be forced toclosed position by said lever;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM OREMEAN. 

